International Human Rights Award for Manzoor Cheema

Manzoor Cheema, founder of Muslims for Social Justice and producer of Independent Voices TV Show, is the recipient of the 14th Annual International Human Rights Award. This award is given by The Human Rights Coalition of North Carolina. The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday, Dec 9th, at North Carolina State University Club.

Award-dinner information:
International Human Rights Award Dinner
6:30 PM, Tuesday. December 9, 2014
At NC State University Club, 4200 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh NC (just east of the State Fair Grounds)

Cost of dinner is $35 and includes vegetarian or chicken option. If you wish to attend, please contact Josh McIntyre at 919-834-4478 or email at mcintyre.josh@gmail.com.

About Manzoor Cheema: 

Manzoor Cheema has been active in human rights campaigns since 1999. As a student at Veterinary Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan, he took part in actions against exploitation of dairy farmers by multi-national companies including Swiss Food company Nestlé.

In 2005, Manzoor launched a public access TV show, Independent Voices, from Triangle area of North Carolina. This show depicted local and international grassroots human rights and social justice movements. This TV show allowed Manzoor and fellow activist producers to work with many local and national movements. These included workers' rights movement in North Carolina, anti-torture movement in North Carolina, farm workers movement, grassroots rebuilding efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, gender rights and LGBTQ empowerment movements, environmental justice movement in North Carolina, movement to end Iraq war, among other movements. This show lasted from 2005 to 2009 and produced fifty episodes that were broadcast from many public access TV stations in the country. Excerpts from the show were broadcast from New York-based Democracy Now TV and radio show. Independent Voices producers won an award for best documentary based TV show from The People's Channel in Chapel Hill, NC.

Since 2007, Manzoor has focussed on organizing South Asian and Middle Eastern community members in North Carolina in order to bring a progressive social change. He wrote for a Pakistani-American newspaper “Pakistan Chronicle” for four years and highlighted many issues faced by marginalized immigrants.

In 2010, Manzoor Cheema joined North Carolina-based Triangle Interfaith Alliance and launched a committee to work on social justice campaigns.

In 2012, Manzoor met with members from Pakistan's progressive organization, Awami Workers Party, while his visit to Islamabad and explored future collaboration between Pakistani and American labor movements.

In 2013, Manzoor and members of Black Workers for Justice co-founded an organization called Muslims for Social Justice, whose mission is to work for human right and social justice for all. Members of Muslims for Social Justice have participated in Moral Monday movement, rallies against police brutality, May Day rally and protests against Gaza attack. Muslims for Social Justice has worked closely with partners within Muslim, interfaith and social justice organizations. Manzoor, along with interfaith allies, invited NC NAACP President, Rev. William Barber, to speak at Triangle Interfaith Alliance's Annual Dinner in February 2014. In June 2014, Manzoor organized a workshop on voting rights in Apex Mosque. Manzoor, on behalf of Muslims for Social Justice, was invited to speak at Historic Thousands on Jones Street (H K on J) rally on Feb 8, 2014, and during Moral Monday rallies. Recently, Manzoor organized an event to connect Palestinian and African American human rights in the wake of 2014 Gaza war and police brutality in Ferguson, MO.

Videos of Manzoor Cheema Speeches: